Legend of Arcai: Initiation
by Feld0
Summary: A smart, city-dwelling yoshi begins to receive mysterious visions, ultimately leading him to a blood-curdling truth. The beginning of Arcai's noble quest for peace, justice, and love. A fan fiction of Kaasha's fan fictions.
1. Prologue

_**The Legend of Arcai:**_

**Initiation**

**•••**

_A Yoshi fanfiction by Feld0_

**•••**

_**Dedicated to:**_

_Kaash__a_

_The author of the first fanfic I ever read, and a great one, at that! He was also kind enough to allow me, a fanfic newbie he had probably never heard of before, to use his characters and themes in this story of my own._

_**And:**_

_Starrgrl24_

_For her betareading and general support, perseverance when it comes to getting things done,, and, of course, her awesome sense of humour!_

**•••**

**Disclaimer:** Mario, Luigi, Yoshi (both the character and the species), Bowser, the minions, the Mushroom Kingdom, etc. are the intellectual property of Nintendo and belong to them.

Hamal, the other yoshi gods, and various other characters are created by and belong to Kaasha, and are used with his express written permission.

Arcai, Verda, and all other characters, as well as most of the locations in the story are of my own creation, and therefore belong to me.

Anything else, such as America, is probably something derived from the real world, and therefore cannot be considered anyone's property without starting a religion-vs.-science-vs.-politics-type argument.

With all that out of the way, let the legend begin!

**••• Prologue •••**

The elevation was high; the oxygen low. The hell spawned blizzard was fierce; the climb challenging. Shelter was scarce; food nonexistent. Yet a lone blue yoshi, determined to complete his mission at all costs, struggled upwards through the deadly conditions…

**•••**

"BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!! BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!! BEEP-BE-"

Arcai woke up with a start and looked around, wondering how he shifted location from a godforsaken mountain range to a cozy, queen-size bed. It then dawned on him that his alarm clock went off, waking him up for university. He was used to having incredibly vivid dreams, and therefore, didn't think much of this one. He then proceeded to carry out his morning ritual.

Arcai lived in a small, one-bedroom apartment in the heart of Azuras, a thriving port town known for its well-educated population, being the first true yoshian city, and its legendary Xenos University, which Arcai attended. He remembered his mother's overjoyed reaction to his acceptance into the fabled university…

**•••**

_Earlier that year…_

Arcai just returned from his high-school grad party, and walked into his mother's home. The petite orange yoshi, Verda, greeted him with one of her signature deadly embraces.

"Congratulations Arcai! Your high school grades are so high, Xenos sent you an invitation to study there!" she squealed with joy.

"Thanks mom! Believe-_ack_! me, you pull-_ah!_-ed me through it. You…did so much for me during the last-_agh_! few years!" replied Arcai, who was vainly trying to escape his mother's lethal hug.

"That's not the best part, Arcai!" she continued, still dancing around with Arcai immobilized in her hug, "They granted you a scholarship so big, it'll pay not only for all of your classes, but your life in Azuras, too!"

"Mom! That's…gre-_ack_!-at, but…I'm gonna…suff…ocate…if…" gasped the handsome, dark blue yoshi, who now began to turn purple.

"The academic year starts in three weeks! I'll book your flight, first class,"

"Mom…" Arcai quietly said with the last of his breath, and lost consciousness.

"and enrol you- AAAHHH!!!!"

Verda gasped in shock and immediately dropped her now-limp son on the living room carpet.

"Arcai? _Arcai?! _Oh no, dear Hamal, what have I-"

Her remorse was promptly interrupted as Arcai suddenly drew a sharp breath. Panting, he exclaimed,

"You _need_ to work on those hugs of yours, mom! You could've killed me there!"

"Thank Hamal I didn't!"

"Calm down, mom!"

Verda stopped and took a deep breath before continuing.

"Anyway, I do wish your father was here to see you, all puckered up and ready for the incredible life of a Xenos student," Verda hastily replied, "Your flight to Azuras is in two weeks. That leaves you with a week to settle down and learn the ins and outs of city life."

"Thank you so much, mom! I couldn't have done it without you!" answered the overjoyed blue yoshi.

**•••**

Arcai's flashback ended as he realized that his class was going to begin in fifteen minutes, and he still hadn't eaten breakfast! He quickly grabbed a sandwich he had prepared earlier for emergencies like this, drank his coffee, and rushed out to his car to drive to class.

"Must…not…land…in…traffic!" he said to himself as he skilfully manoeuvred between various vehicles, sped through red and yellow traffic lights, and finally reached the student parking lot.

Running in through the great glass gate, he looked at a nearby clock and realized he had about twenty seconds to spare. Although he was already tired, he kicked it up a notch and sprinted through the hallways.

"HEY!! No running in the halls!" a passing professor exclaimed.

"I'm not…running. I'm sprinting!!" yelled Arcai, out of breath.

"Ugh, kids…" the professor muttered to herself as Arcai continued his heroic dash.

He could now see his classroom's door, as well as a clock, which read 9:59:55. With five seconds to spare, he pushed himself further than ever before in his desperate attempt to retain his perfect attendance record. He saw his professor step out and begin to close the door.

"I'll make you proud, Mom!" thought Arcai, diving forwards and flying past his professor's shocked expression.

"What the #&%?!?!" The professor cursed at the soaring yoshi, who was by now coming in for the landing.

He was unsuccessful, though, and plunged headfirst into a couch on the other side of the room.

"In a bit of a rush today, Arcai?" the professor remarked as the door shut, the buzzer went off and the class howled up in laughter.

"Very funny, Professor Mira. Owww, my head…" retorted a surprised-to-still-be-conscious Arcai.

He managed to recover within the next few minutes, albeit with a large, painful bruise on his bulbous nose, and found a seat for himself as Professor Mira commenced the lesson.

"Our best historians have discovered a set of beautiful cave paintings over on Yoshi's Island. They are rumoured to have been painted thousands upon thousands of years ago…" She had a way of always starting each and every class with an interesting fact from ongoing historical research.

Arcai, who by now had managed to catch his breath from the corridor sprint earlier, was thankful that he was still eligible for the Student of the Semester award, an achievement so great, it might just bring his mother's happiness to its breaking point!

**•••**

Arcai was sitting in his biology class, studying the process of evolution from a textbook. The end-of-day buzzer went off and the class got up to leave.

"Don't forget to find a cool fact about genetics for next class!" the professor shouted at the departing class.

Arcai had nearly reached his car when he heard a familiar voice call his name.

"Hey! Arc!"

He turned around to find his good friend, a pink yoshi named Disciirius, or more commonly known as Disci, running towards him.

"Disci! Nice to see you!"

"Think I could get a ride to my place? I really don't feel like taking the bus today."

"Sure. Hop in."

"Thanks!"

The two yoshis got in, and Arcai began to drive to Disci's apartment.

"So…I heard about your epic dive this morning. You really want that perfect attendance record, huh?" Disci began.

"Yeah. You know, Student of the Semester is a huge honour, and I don't want one measly little late mark ruining my chances," Arcai began to reply.

"I understand it's a really big deal for you, but was it worth that mega-bruise?" Disci replied, staring at the large purple spot on Arcai's nose.

"You know, now that I think about it, it's a great privilege to be in Xenos in the first place, but..."

Verda's parting words echoed in his mind, "I know you're already in Xenos and all, but don't let that go to your head! You've gotta keep reaching for the stars, Arcai! Only then will you truly reach your destiny!"

**•••**

"ARCAI!! WATCH OUT!!"

Arcai looked up, only to find himself hurtling down the wrong lane at breakneck speed! He slowed down, and, much to Disci's relief, returned to the correct lane.

"Holy #%&, that was close." he remarked.

"Yeah, no kidding, huh?" Arcai replied, "I'm really sorry. I kinda zoned out there, which reminds me, I always need to reach for the stars! Look at Kaishi! He reached above and beyond the feats of all yoshis before him and look at him now!"

"Lotta good that did him. He nearly went insane, trying to juggle a village, a family, and his 'heroic feats' you speak of!" Disci retorted.

"Yeah, but he kept going, I'm just trying to tell you that he could have been happy simply being the smartest yoshi in Alekona, or on the whole island, for that matter, but he took it a step further and became a real hero!" Arcai attempted to clarify his point.

"Kaishi is a living legend. You're not honestly thinking of living up to him, right?" Disci replied.

"Who said I can't? And, while we're still on the topic, what's there to stop you, too?" Arcai answered with questions of his own.

"You passed my building about four blocks back." Disci said, hastily attempting to change the subject.

"Right. Sorry, pal, but think about that anyway. How would you like to be a hero?" Arcai said as he made a sharp U-turn and drove back towards Disci's building.

**•••**

That night, he thought about the things he had learned from the day's classes as well as his conversation with Disci: ancient, long-forgotten yoshian relics, the possibility that evolution continued to the present day, the existence of supernatural forces, and above all, his inner heroic potential.

From that moment on, Arcai realized that there was much more to the world than what met the eye.

Much, much more.

* * *

**Personality Checkup: Arcai:** What better character to kick this little mini-series off with than the [great] protagonist himself? Anyway, Arcai's name is derived from the Greek word _arche_, and the Latin equivalent _archi_, both of which mean "chief," or "authority," which demonstrates Arcai's inborn, but as-of-yet-unrevealed ability to lead. I'd also like you to pay special attention to the first meaning, "chief," and won't say any more about that. This is still the prologue, after all!

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hi there! As you can tell, my pen name (and alias on the entire Internet, for that matter!) is Feld0. This is my debut fanfic and stars a city-dwelling yoshi named Arcai who starts off as a super-smart university student, but later rises to become a legend in yoshian society. It is, to some (OK, to a large) extent, a fanfic of Kaasha's fanfics (go read them now if you haven't yet!), as well as being my own original story at the same time (wait, that's what a fanfic is!), and will contain appearances by many of his characters, as well as numerous nods and references to his and Starrgrl24's work. While it is perfectly possible to enjoy the story on its own, you'll get the most out of it by reading their yoshi fics first. Now, I'd really appreciate it if you took the time to review it, my readers! I'm totally open to criticism, as long as you don't try to start a flame war, shoot out personal attacks, etc. I'll also respond to all reviews personally and will have the next chapter written by Wednesday next week! Stay tuned, and again, please review!

**•••**

**Edit:** Ugh…I hope you'll forgive me, readers. I was in a bit of a rush to publish this at 2:00 AM, and didn't realize that by writing the flashback the way I did, I essentially destroyed all hopes of continuing the story in a sensible way. Maybe I deserved it, maybe not, but I took action and edited that little part where Verda says "Never mind," into something a little more…future-proof. I also corrected a small issue in my rough description of Azuras, as well as rewriting the dive to be slightly more realistic and removing bolding and italics to make the story somewhat easier to read. I also added a dedication at the beginning of the tale. My apologies, but better now than after ten chapters! If this is your first time reading the story, you can safely disregard this message, but you may want to consider re-reading the chapter if you're one of my early followers.

Oh, and one more thing: don't be afraid to criticize me! I need every little nugget of wisdom I can get!

**•••**

**Edit 2:** Oh man, this prologue is getting too many edits, but this one was actually the addition of the second part of the prologue, which I was originally going to post as a separate chapter, as well as the Personality Checkup, my own version of Starrgrl24's "Color of the Day" feature seen at the end of each chapter of her Yoshi fanfics. I recommend re-reading this chapter (prologue, whatever) one last time (unless you already have, or are reading it for the first time), and promise that I'll post the true next(first?) chapter soon!


	2. The Last Weekend

**••• ****Chapter 1**** •••**

**••• ****The weekend before exams**** •••**

It was the last weekend before the end-of-semester exams. Arcai, however, had planned ahead and progressively reviewed all of the necessary material over the past three weeks, with the intention of getting a free day before the first exam to wind back a bit and relax.

He was finished several hours into the afternoon, and decided to send his mother a letter. He was forced to send it by snail[paratroopa?] mail, as computers were far and few between in yoshian society.

Sitting down at his small desk, he began to write.

_Hi mom!_

_I'm really sorry I haven't been writing much lately, and hope you don't think I've died or something._

_I want you to know that my exams start next week, and promise that I'll do really well on them. Who knows, maybe I'll even get the coveted "Student of the Semester" award! Wish me luck!_

_Anyway, life here in the big city is good and all, but it's really quite different from the island. My apartment is kinda cramped, and it's always noisy outside, but you get used to it eventually._

_Moving on, I've met a wonderful yoshi named Disciirius (everyone calls him Disci for short). He's friendly, funny, and really smart, and I hope you get to meet him some day._

_I hope you're not too lonely without dad back home at the village. I'll be back for a couple of weeks when the exams are over to keep you company._

_Love you,_

_~Arcai_

He signed the letter in his beautiful, calligraphic fashion, and drove to the local post office to drop it off. A very familiar face was waiting for him at the window.

"Hey, if it isn't for good ol' Arcai! Been a while since I last saw you! What can I do for you?"

"Hey Parakarry! Nice to see you got a new job at the mail company! I've got this letter here for my mother. Think you could send it off for me?"

"Sure thing. I'll deliver it myself, after I get the paperwork done."

"Thanks! How much will that be?"

"Ahh…don't worry about it. I was heading over to the island for a short vacation anyway."

"Thanks for the favour, 'Karry! I didn't mean to ruin your break."

"I was going to visit Verda and say hi either way."

"Well then, have a nice trip!"

"Be seeing you, Arcai!"

**•••**

He reached Disci's building and stepped inside. Finding his friend's apartment, he knocked on the door and waited for a few seconds before being greeted by Disci's stressed face.

"Arc! You're a sight for sore eyes!" he exclaimed, history textbook in hand.

"Hey Disci! Y'know, I'm done with all my studying, and was wondering if you had any free time," Arcai inquired.

"Well, I've been studying for these exams all day long, and could use a break right about now," Disci responded.

"How much do you have left?" Arcai asked.

"Let's see…I'm done with most of it. I've only got to brush up on my yoshian history," Disci replied, holding up his textbook.

"I'll help you out with that later. You wanna go hang out somewhere for the evening?"

"Sure. I need something to take my mind off this stuff, anyway."

The duo left Disci's building and sat down in Arcai's car. They were chatting about where to go for the night.

"Well, the movies are always an option," Arcai said.

"We could also eat out somewhere. I heard about this new place downtown that's supposed to have human food. I think it was called Red Cardinal or something…" Disci began.

"Red Robin," Arcai corrected, "I heard about that. It's actually a human company."

"It might be a refreshing change from the usual fruits and such," Disci finished.

"We could also go to a nightclub and chill; maybe even meet some girls."

"My vote's for the movies. We'll save the restaurant and the club for next time. Besides, they started importing human movies, too, which will be interesting for sure. After all, they have all the computers and stuff. I've heard they can make it look like you're shooting pure energy out of your hands."

"Sounds good to me."

The two friends drove to the cinema, and walked over to the box office. Several movies were currently playing, all of them human ones. They decided to watch _Star Trek_ after a few minutes of deliberation, bought their tickets, and entered the theatre.

**•••**

"Wow. That whole red matter thing was scary. You've gotta feel sorry for the Vulcans," Disci commented, happily leaving the theatre with Arcai.

"It must've been torture for Kirk's wife, to be forced to leave the _U.S.S. Kelvin_ and her husband like that," Arcai replied, "and I now understand why you call their 'special effects' magical."

"I hope we yoshis learn to make movies like that someday. This human stuff is incredible."

"Movies are good and all, but it's seven P.M. now. Hopefully you can finish off your studying tonight, 'cause it's a great idea to take a one-day break before the exams start."

Chatting and making merry, the two yoshis drove back to Disci's building.

**•••**

"So, the Antares War was when humans found out we really existed, right? That we weren't just 'created' by this 'Nintendo' corporation?" Disci said to Arcai, who was testing him in preparation for the exams.

"Correct again, Disci. Now, try to list the eleven gods."

"Ok, there's Vega, the galactic god who created the universe, Hamal, the god of order and head of the other ten gods, Antares, the goddess of war, Acubens, the god of wisdom and knowledge, Sadalmelik, the god of justice, Geidi, the goddess of the earth who created the island, Rukbat, the goddess of life, Regulus, the god of morality, Al Rischa, the god of death, Spica, the god of love and fertility, Aldebaran, the goddess of power and strength, and Rasalhague, the god of the sea," Disci gasped for air after reciting the information.

"Looks like you know all your facts. Great work, Disci!" Arcai congratulated Disci.

"Thanks, Arc. I think you should be my tutor. I could learn a lot from you."

"Well, I got it all from my mom. School was awesome for me because of it. Say, you wanna go out again tomorrow?"

"We're both done studying, so I don't see why not."

"Well, good night then, Disci. I'll be back tomorrow morning to pick you up."

"See ya, Arc."

**•••**

That night, Arcai decided to start a new journal. The first entry read as follows:

_5__th__ Moon 28, __200__ AAW_

_Well, this is my first entry here. I haven't been writing for a couple of years, and thought it would be good idea to get back into it._

_Since I had that dream about that mysterious mountainside, I've felt 'special,' as if I was meant for something more. I think I'm doing a little too well in my classes, and have a feeling that something bad's gonna happen soon._

_On a more cheerful note, I have to say that I really appreciate the little of human technology we have access to. I have no idea where I'd be without my trusty car or electric lights. Not to mention that movies are awesome and a great way to spend time with friends._

Arcai was driving down a wide street, Disci in tow. They were discussing their plans for the last day before exams.

"I say we go look around for stuff to do throughout the day, and end it with a night at the Green Egg Club," Disci suggested.

"As for the day's activities, I saw an ad for a Lakanui tournament on my way to your place. You wanna check it out?" Arcai responded.

"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly was Lakanui again?" Disci asked.

"I thought you remembered what island life was like! Anyway, it's a physically-demanding team-based sport that was originally introduced to the rest of us by the leader of the dry yoshi clan, Akari, way back..."

"Ohhh...! That Lakanui! Right, I remember now. It was really popular back there."

"Yeah, well, they've got an actual stadium for it here in Azuras. The ad said that everyone is welcome to participate in the tournament."

"Sounds great, Arc!"

**•••**

"TEAM RED!! TEAM RED!! GO HEAT 'EM UP!! TEAM RED!! TEAM-"

"TEAM BLU!! TEAM BLU!! BRING 'EM DOWN TO SEA!! TEAM BLU!! TEAM-"

The deafening chanting could be heard within a kilometre radius, and only escalated as the two Lakanui teams proudly marched into the centre of the large, rectangular arena.

"I wish the ad said something about possible hearing damage!" Arcai screamed at Disci, who was a mere arm's length away.

"What?!" came the muffled response.

"I said, I WISH THE AD SAID SOMETHING ABOUT POSSIBLE HEARING DAMAGE!!"

"?..." Disci looked at Arcai in confusion before comprehending his words and replying, "JUST BE HAPPY WE WERE PUT ON THE SAME TEAM!!"

"Lucky me; the jersey matches my skin!"

"WHAT?! YOU GOTTA SPEAK UP, ARC!"

"Never mind," Arcai muttered while giving his friend a gesture that meant likewise.

Lakitu himself was present to referee the game, a refreshing change from the usual filming of Mario's adventures and refereeing of the Mario Kart Grand Prix.

"Welcome to Azuras' forty-third weekly Lakanui tournament!" The cheering died down as the lakitu began his speech over the P.A., "Chances are, most of you already know what Lakanui is, and for the few of you who don't, it's a traditional game from Yoshi's Island itself! Feel free to grab a brochure at any of the seating area's many entrances for historical info as well as the rules of the game."

Some yoshis scrambled to grab said brochures, and returned to their seats only to find them taken. Lakitu continued, oblivious to the heated arguments that were now going on all around the stadium,

"Once again, this will be a traditional two-team, fifteen-point game. Give it up for the fiery RED's and the cunning BLU's!!"

The chants started up again almost instantaneously, and Lakitu put down his mic and joined in. The teams on the field distributed themselves among strategic starting positions while taking in the atmosphere.

Picking his mic back up, the lakitu finished his words, "Two hundred players enter; a mere quarter are chosen. Two alliances are forged; a coconut is dropped. Glory awaits the team that emerges victorious. With all formalities out of the way, let the game begin!"

A band played a short fanfare, and then began to blast out some cleverly rearranged island music. Lakitu pulled out his trademark Mario Kart starting light, and activated it.

On one, he dropped the coconut, which reached the ground just in time for zero.

A green yoshi from the RED team scooped it up in her net and foolishly attempted to sprint through a defensive wall of BLU's. Her stick was hit and the coconut soared towards Disci. He jumped for it and missed, but luckily, Arcai was right behind him and executed a great save. He proceeded to throw the nut straight up in the air and hit it hard with the hammer-ended part of the Lakanui stick. A BLU dry yoshi near RED's lightly defended goal caught it...

"An unbelievable pass followed up by an even-more-so catch! And...BLU has secured the first point!"

The audience erupted in cheer at the lightning-quick goal as RED regained control of the nut. A red yoshi had it and was quick to run down the side of the field, knocking the nut to a teammate about halfway down. The purple recipient then moved in for the goal, and knocked the nut towards it.

"Looks like RED's pretty much bagged this one. That's right: shoot it in!"

However, a BLU purple yoshi dove towards the nut at that very moment, holding the netted end of his stick high over his head, and somehow managed to catch it! Applause ensued.

"By the red spinies, that was one heck of a save! Come on RED! You can't let BLU get away with this one!"

**•••**

"Game point!" Lakitu shouted as RED sank yet another shot in BLU's basket, "BLU, you better not lose it this time!"

The nut was passed to Arcai after RED's goal, and he intended to make the most of it. He began running, but was stopped short by a RED yoshi who attempted to steal the nut.

"BLU, how could you let that one slip?"

It was all part of his plan, though, and Disci was quick to nab the flying nut before the surprised RED gained control of it.

"Oh boy! Looks like BLU had the situation under control after all!"

(Pun intended.)

The duo then ran towards the goal from opposite sides, and Disci faked a shot to pass to his friend. Arcai then stood his ground as Disci moved closer to the goal. The latter promptly received a pass which he didn't even bother catching; instead, he knocked it directly towards the RED basket.

"Wow! Some coordination that pink guy's got! And he shoots...AND HE SCORES!! Ladies and gentlesaurs, give it up for our BLU champions!!"

Lakitu's last sentence was drowned out by the ear-splitting reaction from the audience. After all, this was the closest game ever played in the Azuras stadium, and most of the attendees were huge Lakanui fans.

**•••**

Ribbons proudly in hand, Arcai and Disci strolled out of the stadium doors along with the rest of the players.

The same green yoshi from the RED team that was first to gain possession of the coconut, accompanied them on their way out.

"Some game that was. You two clearly had that winning point planned out from the get-go," she said.

"Actually, to tell you the truth, we didn't," Disci confessed.

Arcai added, "We're just best friends, so we kinda know what the other's thinking."

"Pound it, Arc!"

The two friends happily pounded it before the green yoshi continued,

"Well, I'm surprised you guys aren't being all snobby about your win. Some of the BLU's I passed on my way out were, like, all macho and stuff about it," the green yoshi replied, gesturing towards a rowdy group of males who were bragging about BLU's win with some rather colourful language.

"I'm surprised you're not whining about your loss. I mean, your team was THIS close to winning...and failed," Disci retorted, with Arcai adding, "Not to mention the way you lost control of the coconut at the beginning."

"Let's just say I know it's not worth getting all worked up about it," she replied, "I mean, it's just a game, right? It's a lot bigger now than back at the island, I know, but I still play for the fun of it, not the glory or bragging rights."

"To be perfectly honest, we did it for the same reason," Arcai admitted.

"Well, you definitely had a great time playing, and that's what counts. Anyway, I think it's about time we introduced ourselves. The name's Natraami, but Nat's fine, too. I'm from Lunaterra."

"I'm Arcai, hailing from Sophivira."

"The great and noble Disciirius of Demono salutes you, milady. But just call me Disci, please."

"Arcai and Disciirius...I like your names."

The two friends smiled at the positive comment, then looked at each other. Arcai immediately understood Disci's intentions and nodded subtly. Turning his gaze back towards Natraami and rubbing his stomach, Disci made his proposal,

"Man, all that running really worked up my appetite. Arcai and I were planning to go eat out at this new place called Red Robin. You wanna join us?"

"We've known each other for three minutes and you're already asking me out?"

Disci suddenly tensed up.

"Is there...any...thing...wrong with...that?" he stammered. Arcai, quite to the contrary, was getting a kick out of his friend's crude attempt at befriending Natraami.

"It's just short notice; that's all. But I'd love to get to know you guys better!"

Disci's first thought was "SCORE!!" but he tried his hardest to contain his excitement. Arcai, dismayed at his friends' success, decided to accept it and go along with it.

"My car's parked at the far end of the parking lot. We can give you a ride," he said.

**•••**

"I'd like a bacon cheeseburger, a glass of lemonade, and some onion rings, please," Natraami ordered.

"Is that all?" the brown waiter confirmed.

"Yes it is," Disci said.

"So...what brings you two to Azuras, anyway?" Natraami inquired.

"We were accepted into Xenos. Incidentally, we met in the cafeteria. I was waiting in line for my food, and Disci was behind me, and we just kinda started chatting. Small talk at first, but we became good friends within a couple of days," Arcai explained.

"And haven't regretted it since," Disci added, "If it wasn't for Arcai here, I would have failed more than a few classes by now. How about you? What's your story?"

"Well, as I already told you, I'm from the small village _," Natraami began, "I was always a curious one, and when I heard plans to found a yoshian city, I was one of the first yoshis to 'sign up.' I have to say, there's definitely a lot more to do in your free time here than back at the island."

"True, that," Arcai agreed, "but the island still has its charms."

The conversation continued late into the night, and Arcai ended up calling off their plans to visit the nightclub. Natraami ended up taking the bus home, but not before she gave Disci and Arcai her address.

**•••**

In bed, Arcai grabbed his journal from his wooden night table and happily began to write,

_5__th__ Moon __29__, 200__ AAW_

_Man, today was one awesome day!_

_It looks like I still remember how to play Lakanui, but I didn't think I could pull off that incredible winning goal! Well, Disci was half of it, but still, I don't know what else to say about it!_

_Yeah, speaking of Disci, I think he found a girlfriend. Natraami rushed out to meet us after the game, and I sense chemistry going on between them. As for me, I don't think I'm quite ready for the commitment a girlfriend takes just yet, but I have to admit that I'm kinda envious of my best friend. My first priority is to graduate from Xenos with flying colours, so I can get an epic job later on._

_Now, it's time for me to put down this journal, turn off the lights, and get some sleep. After all, I've got a biology exam tomorrow, and I need to make sure I__ remember what exactly mitosis was again__._

Just like he wrote in his journal, Arcai put it down, turned off the lights, and pulled the covers over his young, blue body. He nodded of to sleep thinking about his future position as a father, and wondered if he would be a good one.

* * *

**Personality Checkup: Disciirius:** The name is derived from the Latin prefix _disci-_, which means "student." For the sake of convenience, the prefix on its own is used as Disciirius' nickname. While it may seem obvious as to why I chose this name, it actually has nothing to do with his being a Xenos student. The name actually supplements the meaning of the character's skin colour, pink, which can symbolize admiration and looking up to others. Disci is Arcai's "student" in some ways, and "admires" his friend as a role model. You'll see how this trait plays itself out later in the story.

* * *

**Author's Note:** w00t! This second chapter took forever, but it's finally done! I'm really sorry it took so long. Thing is, I've dusted off Qube (thanks in no small part to a certain someone; you know who you are), a Flash project that was on standby for the past four months, and will now be developing that side-by-side with this fic (more about it on my profile). The real problem, though, is keeping the whole fanfic thing a secret from my family. Yeah…they think I got over my Yoshi phase several years ago, and it's better that way.

Anyway, the human influences on yoshian culture are starting to become apparent here, and while I know this chapter didn't advance the plot too much, my original vision for this story was to demonstrate urban yoshian life for a bit before getting to the good stuff (Thanks Starrgrl24 for the tip!). Remember, this whole story is Arcai's initiation, not his main quest. The series will probably be a tri- or tetralogy.

Now I'll list off all the references in this chapter: there was a _Super Mario 64_ ref., a _Heroes_ quote, a direct _Team Fortress 2_ ref., a [somewhat overused] _A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ ref., and a _Sabrina_ ref. Tell me if you caught any of them!


	3. The End of the Semester

**••• ****Chapter 2**** •••**

**••• ****The End of the Semester**** •••**

"Acrux is at it again; spreading evil around the world and trying to corrupt the good hearts of innocent yoshis. I can't believe she took over Arcai's father so easily."

"From her secure prison, too."

"I'm afraid Arcai himself is the only one who can stop her now."

"He's gonna have to ditch university to do that. I was really looking forward to see him become a great scientist later on, but I guess that won't be happening now."

"It's for the greater good; sacrifices must be made."

"Well, the time is nigh; soon, he will have no choice but to learn the terrible truth about what really happened to his father."

•••

The alarm went off, and a disgruntled Arcai snoozed it at first, only to remember seconds later that today was the first day of the Xenos end-of-semester exams, and that biology was up first. The exam was going to start in about an hour, but he didn't want to rush through his morning like he did a few weeks ago. Arcai rubbed the front of his large, blue nose in memory of the painful dive, but was confident that it was well worth it.

He went through his usual morning routine, taking a brief wake-up shower while his coffee heated up. While drinking it, he decided to quickly skim over some of the more obscure details from his scholarly material. He then ate an apple and a small watermelon for breakfast before grabbing his small backpack and heading out to his car.

•••

A group of fellow biology students were waiting in line at the entrance to the gym, where a purple professor was stationed to keep track of all the examinees. Arcai patiently waited for his turn.

"Name, please," the professor asked when Arcai reached him.

"Arcai of Sophivira, Yoshi's Island," the blue yoshi answered.

"Yoshi's Island…Sophivira…" the professor muttered, typing Arcai's name and birth village into the notebook computer on his desk, "Ah, Arcai. There you are," he said, finding his entry, "You may go in now. Good luck."

"Thank you, professor," Arcai answered while entering the tall doors.

_Author's inline note: Xenos University is a very privileged establishment, and can actually afford a campus-wide computer network, which is used not only for administration, but for certain courses (graphic design, music, computer science, etc.), too._

The gym was divided into sections for the different levels of the biology course. Arcai was a year ahead of the other yoshis of his age, and found an empty desk for himself in the sophomores' section. He took out his driver's license, pencil, and eraser while he waited for his examination booklet and bubble sheet to reach him.

•••

"_Question 200…mitosis is…"_ Arcai thought to himself while looking over the five choices. This was the last question on the exam, and the only one he had to think twice for, which meant that if he got it right, he'd pass the exam with a perfect score. Suddenly remembering that mitosis had something to do with DNA, he chose the only answer that seemed to apply: _E: the process of separating a cell's nucleus' chromosomes into two identical sets in two separate nuclei__ in preparation for cytokinesis_, and filled in the corresponding bubble on his bubble sheet. He then got up to leave the gym, handing in his papers to a professor at the exit door on his way out.

•••

Arcai got through the rest of the exams with similar ease over the course of the week, and excitedly went to the university's end-of-semester party. He and Disci were hanging out near the food buffet in the pleasingly large cafeteria with a few of their classmates and were all boasting to each other about their achievements that semester.

"I'm a year ahead of you guys, and I actually studied properly for those exams!" Arcai said to the group.

"I managed to become close friends with my English Lit. teacher!" Disci added.

A yellow yoshi piped up, "My musical composition teacher published one of my songs for me! Not just in our world, though; humans will get to hear it, too!"

"I learned all about guns and weapons of mass destruction in my human history class!" a dry yoshi declared, "Can't believe what those humans would do to get back at one another. And to top it off, the teacher even let me touch a real SKS!"

They continued to brag between bites of the delicious food until an announcement came on over the P.A. system. The hearty voice of Vayu, Xenos University's friendly headmaster, greeted them,

"Hello to our society's smartest yoshis! It's time for the moment all of you have been waiting for: the ceremony itself! Everyone head over to the center field. We're starting in ten minutes!"

The group eagerly made their way to said field, where a large crowd was already gathering.

Soon, Vayu, a tall purple yoshi, stepped up to a podium near the edge of the field and began his speech. He went through the usual formalities, talking about recent changes to the curriculum as well as some of the latest news from the yoshian research groups before getting to the good stuff.

"It is now time for the moment all of you have been waiting for: the unveiling of this year's second 'Student of the Semester!' The recipient of this great award has proven him- or herself to be an exceptional student; the irresistibly delectable icing on the already-scrumptious cake that is Xenos. Neat and organized, always ready to learn, and never afraid of a challenge, this student is pretty much the intellectual pinnacle of our expansive list of alumni. Only one is chosen every semester, and by Hamal, is it a hard choice!"

A drumroll began while the present band prepared itself. Vayu continued,

"Without further ado, I'd like to reveal this incredible yoshi to all of you!"

The purple headmaster paused and allowed the tension to build up; the roll got faster and the students began to murmur among themselves.

He resumed his speech, "Hailing from Yoshi's Island…"

Most of the crowd fell silent, and many of the yoshis from places like Isle Delfino, Dinosaur Land, and Lavalava Island lowered their heads in dismay.

"…from the unassuming village of Sophivira…"

At the mention of his village's name, Arcai suddenly stopped chatting with Disci and looked up to Vayu, anticipating the name he was about to call out.

"Ladies and gentlesaurs, I give you…Arcai!!"

The band began to play an elaborate fanfare while the students all burst into cheer for the seemingly average blue yoshi.

"You did it, Arc!" Disci congratulated, "All your hard work; man, I wish I could be like that!"

"Thanks Disci! They're calling me up to the podium now," Arcai replied before joyfully running through the mob and up to the headmaster, who promptly launched into a micro-lesson about life,

"Congratulations Arcai. You have a lot of potential for a yoshi your age. I'm expecting great things from you in the future. But never forget this: no matter how swimmingly well your life is going for you, never stop striving for the better. When you're given a task, finish it as if it is your last. But don't stress yourself out and die; always reward hard work with good fun!"

"Thank you for the kind words, Vayu," Arcai said, "The gift of intelligence is a noble one, and I intend to use it well."

Arcai received a small, commemorative trophy celebrating his academic excellence, and participated in the university's end-of-semester festivities for the rest of the afternoon.

•••

It was a long flight back to Yoshi's Island. In the roomy helicopter, Arcai was playing an imported copy of Scrabble with Disciirius, Natraami, and a middle-aged brown yoshi. They passed about half of the flight this way, and decided to call it quits when Arcai played the word _muzjik_, and managed to earn a rather pretty score with it.

Dumbfounded at his friend's lucky move, Disci asked, "How in the name of Acubens did you know that word, Arc?"

"I was having a look through human history in the Xenos library one day when I was really bored. Turns out it's a Russian peasant," Arcai explained, simply.

"What exactly was Russia again?" the other yoshi asked, to whom Arcai replied almost instantaneously.

"You've never heard of Russia? Well, they're one of the human superpowers right now, along with America, China, and what they call the European Union."

"OK, look. We're just yoshis, all right? Don't expect us to know anything about the history of humans, just as we shouldn't expect them to know anything about ours," Natraami retorted sourly, feeling somewhat miserable about her loss.

"Suit yourself. Humans are actually really interesting. They're pretty much our polar opposite: to them, war is the solution to everything. Remember the Antares War? A well-organized group of humans started it. Kaashi only beat them because he knew they were coming, and had a better strategy. From what I can gather, we yoshis always try to avoid bloodshed whenever we can."

Arcai's bantering was interrupted by Disci, who invited him to go take a nap in the front of the helicopter with him. Arcai, seeing that some shut-eye would do him well in preparation for the long day ahead, decided to heed his friend's suggestion, and lay down on a cot beside him. The soft murmur of the soundproof helicopter's engines gradually lulled him to sleep, until he entered a blissful world with aromatic fruits aplenty and gorgeous rainbows all over.

•••

One of the pilots, a tall, handsome red yoshi, was shouting at the two sleeping friends.

"Rise and shine, guys! We're gonna reach the island in about five minutes! Now's your chance to see the legendary village Alekona," he said in a hearty voice, "A passenger's getting off there."

At the mention of the quaint fishing village's name, Arcai quickly made his way to the nearest window, dragging the still-half-asleep Disci with him.

"Wha--someone say Alekona?" he muttered as he slowly woke up, "That's the village Kaishi and Taeshi are from!"

With a start, he yanked himself out of his friend's loose grip and looked out the window with him. The helicopter was already beginning to descend towards the village's beach, the force of the large rotor whipping the pale, yellow sand into clouds. A couple of young yoshi kids who were fooling around in the waves jumped out of the water and rushed off to announce the helicopter's arrival to the village.

Soon, the sleek, white machine had touched down on the beach. Several villagers accompanied Halis, Kaishi's great-grandson and the current chieftain of Alekona, to the edge of the forest, where they waited for the engines to spin down, and for the passenger to get off.

"Well, this is my stop, guys. I'll see you later!" Natraami said as she disembarked the helicopter.

"Bye, Nat. Have fun in Alekona," Disci called out to her while Arcai held the door open. With a sigh, the former watched her stroll across the picturesque beach and over to the chieftain, who then led her to the village.

•••

The rest of the flight over the island was fairly uneventful, and the duo passed the time by gazing out of the helicopter's windows at the gorgeous sights. About half an hour later, they reached Sophivira, Arcai's hometown. His mother, Verda, was waiting for him at the pastel meadow the helicopter landed in, and greeted him with open arms.

"Oh; it's so good to see my little overachieving son again!" she exclaimed, running up to her blue son.

"Mom! Long time, no see!" he exclaimed, but as he saw his mother preparing to hug him, he hastily added, "Remember the 'hug of death!'" before his passage of air was interrupted.

Verda quickly embraced him and patted his back in congratulatory fashion, but suddenly realizing Arcai's words, she loosened up a little, allowing him to breathe once again.

"Well, I've been cooking a welcoming dinner all day for you! You can tell me all about your adventures at the table!" she said to him, finally releasing her potentially-lethal grip.

"Aww…mom, you shouldn't have," was the surprised answer.

•••

The wooden table was covered with various good foodstuffs: Verda had gone to the trouble of preparing two large, tie-dye fruit pies and a huge platter of tantalizing Alekonian fish. Not only that, but there were lots of raw fruits and even a small bottle of champagne she had "borrowed" from the shy guys.

"How did your exams go, Arcai?" the orange yoshi asked while grabbing a slice of pie.

"Oh, they were too easy. Maybe they just are, or maybe I'm just good at studying, but you know what?"

Verda looked at Arcai with a curious look before he gleefully shouted,

"I got the Student of the Semester award!!"

The reaction was a joyful one,

"Oh, Arcai! That's amazing! Out of more than fourteen-hundred smart yoshis like you, they chose my very own son!"

She stopped to wipe a tear from her eye before continuing, "This is simply incredible. You could do so many great things! By Vega, you might even give us space travel some day!"

"Thanks, mom! I'll make you proud!"

"Oh, you already have! This calls for a toast!" Verda took the bottle of champagne and poured it into their slim glasses.

"To my son, one of the smartest yoshis to grace Azuras, and possibly even capable of living up to his incredible idol, Kaishi," she toasted, with Arcai adding,

"To my incredible future filled with academic excellence, an unbreakable bond of love, and an epic adventure!"

"Cheers!" With a pleasant "clang," the two yoshis happily struck their glasses together and drank to Arcai's future.

Their conversation continued late into the night, but it soon dawned on Arcai that beyond his mother's seemingly appreciative and cheerful mood, something was troubling her deep down. Being the caring son he was, he asked her what was wrong.

"Hey; I don't mean to change the topic so suddenly, but something's come over you, mom. What's wrong?"

With a deep sigh, Verda began to release her feelings to her attentive son,

"Well…it's about your father. Smart, romantic, fun-loving, dedicated, and very handsome; in essence, he was the perfect mate. I should really get over him, but…"

"Dad's not dead, is he?" Arcai asked solemnly, putting his delectable fish down.

"Well, it would've gotten out eventually. No; our separation was a tragic one. One day, shortly after your birth, he came home from a forest expedition all wet and cold, presumably from getting caught in a rainstorm somewhere. I dried him off and gave him a warm meal, but this certain emotional…coldness remained, and as the days went on, it only seemed to spread throughout his body, mutating his once-wonderful mind, corrupting his warm, sympathetic heart, and worst of all, completely destroying all of his trademark optimism and theoretical thinking in exchange for an insatiable greed; an endless pit of selfishness, a great chasm between us."

"And?"

"We…got…divorced."

Verda uttered these last three words between the sheets of tears that were now streaming out of her large, innocent eyes.

"No…that can't be…" Arcai said quietly, "Yoshis never get divorced!"

"I'm afraid…that's not…true," his mother sobbed, "He was such a good yoshi! We loved each other so much! Why would he suddenly turn on us like that?"

She was now starting to shout, but Arcai stood up and hugged her before it turned into an unstoppable temper tantrum.

"There, there," he tried to console her, "He's family to me, too. Tell you what: I'll track him down and get to the bottom of this. Something's fishy here."

"Oh, Arcai! I really don't know what to say; you go off and get perfect grades in university, and are ready to drop everything to go save my soul mate, and here I sit, just crying myself to sleep about this long-lost relationship!"

"Don't think of yourself that way, mom! That can only lead to bad things! I promise, I will find out what happened to Dad, and I'll make sure you get back together someday!"

At this, Verda backed out of Arcai's embrace and looked him in the eyes. Calming down and wiping away the last of her tears, she softly spoke,

"You try too hard. You've got such a bright future ahead of yourself! Why should you ruin it for my silly old relationship issues?"

"Because this is no relationship issue, and I know it," Arcai replied in a serious tone, "No yoshi would leave his mate like that. This is _my_ mission now, mom. I love you, and good night."

He began to walk to his bedroom, when he felt his mother's warm hand on his shoulder.

"I love you, too, Arcai," she said to him, before he turned around and received a motherly kiss on his cheek.

* * *

**Personality Checkup:** Verda: Originally, Verda was going to be a green yoshi, but my plans changed partway through the prologue. However, I had already thought of a name for her, and since I liked it so much, it stuck. "Verda" is a spelling variation on the word _vert_, which is French for "green." Because of this anomaly between Verda's name and her actual colour, she displays traits relevant to both colours. Her personality is a harmonic combination of the well-balanced, nature-loving colour green and the cheerfulness and spirituality of orange. She is very religious, and generally a good yoshi to be in the vicinity of. She is easily excitable and can be over-reactive at times, but she always has nothing but the best intentions. A fair, honest yoshi, Verda also enjoys tending to her fruit garden and exploring the island in her spare time.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm really sorry this update took so long. In all honesty, I have no excuse for it. I'll try to write the next chapter a bit sooner, but with this huge English project I've got, that might not happen for another two weeks. I'm getting better at managing my time, though, and will take about a week to write the next chapter...that is, I'll take about a week to write it once I've started it. I hope you're still enjoying the story! Please remember to leave a review! You've got no excuse not to since I allow anonymous ones!


	4. Last Hours in Sophivira

**••• Last hours in Sophivira ****•••**

_30th Moon 6, 200 AAW,_

_I don't know what to say. I always thought Mom was telling the truth when she told me that my father died in a tragic accident. It seemed so believable, too: exploring the island, happening to walk straight into a giant fish's lair, and getting eaten alive. But divorce..._

_It is said that Spica himself brings all couples together so that they may be the perfect mates for each other. I don't remember my father -heck, I don't even know his name!- but one thing's for sure: he didn't ditch my mom and I arbitrarily, and it wasn't his decision to do so. There's something fishy going on here…_

•••

The warm, late-morning sun was shining in the cloudless sky over Sophivira. Verda was already up and about, and busied herself preparing a scrumptious brunch for her overachieving son. The loud clatter of her varied cooking utensils made its way through the small house and to Arcai's room. With a lazy moan, he slowly began to stir, caught in a delicate balance between the colourful, melon-laden world of his dreams, and his simple, peaceful bedroom, but as soon as he caught a whiff of his mother's delectable cooking, he reacquired full consciousness and briskly walked out of his room, following the pleasant aroma to the kitchen.

He entered and found his mother at the stove, pulling what appeared to be a large, brown cake out of the oven.

"Morning, Mom," Arcai said.

Verda placed the cake on the counter.

"Good morning, Arcai!" she replied before glancing at her wristwatch, "Or, should I say, good day! I made your favourite cake! Well, one of them, anyway. Apples, melons, oranges; the works."

"Aw, thanks. I knew you were making something special when I woke up to that incredible smell!"

"You were just in time. Come on; let's eat."

The two yoshis took their places at the table, and began to eat. The cake was incredible; so much so that Arcai felt the need to get metaphorical about it,

"Once again, Mom, you have proven yourself as a great cook. This cake is a masterpiece; you have found the perfect amounts of each fruit, and fittingly added the other ingredients. And then it turned into a symphony of flavours, a colourful blend of all the usual essentials fused with that little extra something that makes it yours. It's an awesome cake, Mom. That's what I'm saying."

"Why, thanks! I agree that cooking is a form of art, and therefore, everyone can make something original."

The brunch continued in a similarly friendly manner. Arcai told his mother tales from the big city, and she listened intently and pestered him with questions. But the previous night's revelation had not been forgotten. The scene was still fresh in the two yoshis' minds, seemingly immune to the usual effects of temporal nervous decay. Verda's feelings were tied up in knots; she felt the emotional burden lifted from her shoulders now that she had confessed the truth about her husband to Arcai, but at the same time, a feeling of shameful guilt had passed over her as her sweet, intelligent son insisted on getting to the bottom of it himself. Arcai was a somewhat stubborn yoshi; when he set his mind to something, he would always get it done, a trait he possessed from his father, and it was what would ultimately lead them to meet. Arcai was aware of this, too, and always thought his decisions out thoroughly because of it.

After a few moments of deliberation, he had a surprisingly simple statement to make,

"Don't worry about Dad, Mom. I'll take care of him. I'm young, strong, smart, and able to do this. You just need to have faith in me."

•••

"If I'm gonna help my parents, I'd better get started," Arcai thought to himself as he was wandering around the village. He was wondering where to begin his mission, and finally decided to talk to his mother first to see what she knew about his father.

Annoyed that the topic came up yet again, she answered Arcai's questions grudgingly, knowing that the answers she gave him may very well decide whether he survives his quest or dies.

"When's the last time you saw Dad?" he began.

"A long, long time ago; sixteen years, to be exact. You were a little child," his mother answered in a flat, depressed tone, "There's no way you could possibly remember him."

"Ugh…he could be anywhere by now. Have you heard anything of his whereabouts?"

"I don't think so, but I've heard rumours about an insane yoshi that sounds just like him. They say he's still somewhere on Yoshi's Island, though exactly where could be anyone's guess."

Arcai kept on firing off the questions, "If you don't mind me asking, what did he look like, and what was his name?"

"Your father was a handsome black yoshi," Verda answered, "He was about your size, maybe a little bigger, and had the sweetest, most forgiving eyes I had ever seen, until...until it…happened," she began to sob, "Everyone knew him as Linekki, but he could be going by anything right now for all I know."

"Did he say anything before he left?" Arcai inquired. He had obviously touched on a sensitive topic as his mother suddenly perked up, the force of anger flowing through her veins.

"Oh, yes he did!" his mother tensed up in anger, "I will never forget his last words to me: 'You're a useless, old egg-hatching machine! I couldn't care less about you or that ungrateful little know-it-all, food-hogging abomination you call our son. I'm outta here!'" she yelled, mockingly trying to imitate her former husband's stern tone, "Words that have marked my mind for the last sixteen years. I couldn't believe what I heard; it didn't sound like him at all, especially considering all the great times we spent as a family since you were born, and the romantic memories we had before that as a couple. Before he left, I told him that the 'little know-it-all, food-hogging abomination' was gonna grow up and make him regret leaving us. He stormed off laughing like some mad fuzzy juice addict, but I did my best to raise you on my own, anyway."

"Regret it he will. Just…as soon as I find him," Arcai said with a hint of uncertainty, before quickly resuming the topic, "Look Mom: there's something here we don't know about. From what you've been telling me, it almost sounds like Linekki was…possessed. How that's possible, I don't know, but I don't think you were dealing with Dad himself."

"You don't understand, Arcai! Linekki was more than just a father to you. I spent half of my life with him!" the orange yoshi exclaimed, "We mated at twenty-three, and shared _everything_ with each other: our money, our belongings, our interests, our memories. We were the perfect couple; and with the perfect amount of romance, too. Your dad was a great kisser, and was even better when mating, but above all, there was a blissful, unbreakable bond between us. And somehow, somehow, that bond split. Just like that. He was warm and enthusiastic one night, and cold-hearted and uncaring the next. Linekki meant everything to me. For him to just…leave me, no us, like that…"

"I see. This is why I want to do this, Mom. Not just so I get to meet my father. You two were soul mates, and that bond you say is broken…well, it's still there. Weaker than ever, but just as unbreakable," Arcai said quietly, "I will find out what's going on here. And I'll travel to the other side of the island if need be."

"About that…you don't know anything neither about exploring nor living off of the wilderness here, do you?" Verda followed up.

"Heh," Arcai grinned slightly, "I know a few tips from some books I read over in Azuras. How hard can it be?"

"You've never gotten lost in a jungle infested with psychotic monkeys, have you?" his mother asked nervously.

"Nope," Arcai said, but this time, with a small hint of uncertainty.

"Look, Arcai. Why are you doing this? Linekki got out of my life years ago, and never really was part of yours. I've been trying so hard to just get over him, to put him behind myself, and now you have a burning desire to find him…if he's even alive anymore."

"Because that's exactly what you've been doing: trying," Arcai stated firmly, "I just said it, but I'll say it again: you and Dad were meant to be together. Even if you were separated by a whole ocean, the bond between you would remain. As traumatizing as your divorce was, deep down, you've still got feelings for him. And you'll be miserable about it for the rest of your life, unless you two somehow get back together."

"You know you don't need to do this," the worried mother reminded Arcai.

"You know that I can't stand to have no recollection of my own father. And I can't stand to see you in pain like this, either. Now, if you don't mind, I've got a yoshi to find."

With that, Arcai returned to his mother's home again to gather some supplies for the trip. He found a small, grey backpack and set to work filling it up with whatever he thought would be necessary. He knew that there was plenty of food to be found around the island itself, and water was abundant, too, so he didn't waste any of his limited space with those. Instead, he packed a sleeping bag and a pillow in addition to a book to read when he had nothing better to do. Lastly, in the little room that was left, he managed to cram in his wallet with a decent amount of money in it. He wasn't expecting to need any of it, but money was a good thing to carry around, nonetheless.

He zipped the backpack up and slung it over his shoulders. He then went outside and began to walk towards a path out of the village. His mother was still where he had left her, and incidentally, the rest of the village's inhabitants seemed to have gone indoors. Arcai went up to her, and kissed her on the cheek.

"I'll be back," he whispered softly into her 'ear.'

Verda looked up, revealing her once-cheerful, now-tearful face.

"Please. Just please…don't get…yourself…killed…out there," she said between sobs, "A hug for Mama Verda?"

Arcai, remembering the potentially lethal force of his mother's embraces, wondered for a moment if it was really a good idea to oblige to her wish. But since he had already done so much to his mother's feelings, he knew he, at the very least, owed her this last gesture of love. Bracing himself, he walked into her open arms and hugged her. She embraced him, too, and much to his surprise, it wasn't a death grip like he usually got, but just a simple, motherly hug. For an instant, it made him question his decision to abandon everything in search of his father like this. But his stubbornness took hold and he soon found himself pulling out of his mother's arms.

Arcai turned his back and began his trek down the path. Before he reached the thick of the jungle, he turned around and got one last look at his beautiful village, Sophivira. His mother was still standing in the same spot, looking at him and trying to restrain her tears. She waved slowly to her departing son, and he waved back before finally disappearing between the close foliage.

•••

**Personality Checkup:** Natraami: The name comes from the Latin _natura_ and the Spanish _amor_, with the spelling changed up a bit to make the name roll off the tongue easily. Her name literally means "love of nature," and she feels best when she is surrounded by great green forests and lots of wildlife. That said, she settled down in Azuras to find out what city life was like by comparison to the laid-back lifestyle back on the island. As much as she likes it in the big city, though, she longs to return to Yoshi's Island; hence, why she took the helicopter back there with Arcai and Disci. She stopped in Alekona, though, to check out what life was like in a fishing village. Her birth village, Lunaterra, is in the island's interior, after all, and she has always been curious about life in other regions. Disci sees this, and has a crush on her because of it. Back in chapter 1, you saw his attempts to flirt with her, and while he wasn't too good at it, Natraami is a very empathetic yoshi, and decided to give him a chance.

* * *

**Author's note:** I'm sorry this chapter took so long. I actually had all of it minus the "Personality Checkup" written about three weeks ago, but then some stuff came up IRL that I couldn't ignore. So...I just finished it off during class today. If you want faster updates, though, tell your friends about this fic and get them to review! The more attention this gets, the more likely I am to squeeze extra time for it out of the rest of my life!


	5. Trekking through the forest

**Author's Note:** This chapter came off as very light-hearted; far more so than originally intended. Don't worry, though; it was only for this one chapter. I thought a short break would be a good idea before the fic began to get down to the _real_ good stuff!

A lot has been going on in my life (hence the ridiculous delay in this chapter coming out), and you should be thankful I managed to push it out before my finals at all. I've just been getting hit by project after project from school, plus some personal stuff as well as general laziness. But when this happens, and I seemingly go on radio silence, it's all right to send me some motivational fan mail! Also, you have no idea how much reviews do for me! Please remember to leave them!

Now, with that out of the way, I present to you The Legend of Arcai: Chapter 4!

* * *

**••• Chapter 4•••**

**••• Trekking through the forest•••**

_2__nd__ Moon 7, 200 AAW__,_

_Ugh. I was more than a little reckless when I dropped everything to go find my father. In retrospect, was he ever really _that_ important to my life? But Mom…she's the one that's in pain about it, and she's also the only family I've got. But was it worth ruining my whole education –and by extension, my future– for this?_

_It doesn't help that I'm a bit rusty on my survival skills, and don't even know where I'm going! A helicopter would've been nice, or my car, had Yoshi's Island had roads. They just _have_ to keep it traditional here, don't they?_

_I'm hoping to find another village soon. I need to gather more information about Linekki. If everything Mom said about him was true, he doesn't even deserve being called a father, least of all mine._

•••

Arcai had been traveling for several days now. He wandered around, with no set goal in mind. After all, he was so anxious to rush out and find his father that he forgot to ask for a good starting point. He found himself following an overgrown trail through one of the island's many richly-inhabited forests, hoping he'd reach civilization again soon.

It began easily enough: a flat plane dotted by silly shy guys, who aimlessly strolled around. They still hadn't learned their lesson, to never stand in the way of a yoshi, almost two hundred years since Kamek's attempts to kidnap the baby Mario Bros., who later went on to become great legends among the people of the Mushroom Kingdom and elsewhere. A blue shy guy casually walked up to the yoshi.

"Hey, you're the same colour as my clothes!" he remarked, to which Arcai answered, bored,

"So what that I am? It's just a colour."

"You could be my twin brother!" the stupid shy guy exclaimed.

"You could be my breakfast," the rather hungry yoshi said in a flat tone. "I don't remember the last time I've had shy guy, and I could use a little refresher."

The shy guy, still unaware of the fact that his death was now less than a minute away, continued,

"I could take you to my friends! They're blue, too! We could be the Blue Brothers!"

_Are all shy guys this stupid?_ Arcai wondered to himself. _He's about to be eaten alive and all he can think about is that we can be friends simply because we're the same colour? Ah well. His fault he doesn't have the good sense to run away._

"Blue is awes—hey, what'cha do—!" the surprised shy guy's words were cut off mid-scream as Arcai grabbed him with his long tongue and swallowed him whole. Partly satisfied with his meal, but moreover, satisfied that he didn't have to endure the shy guy's idiotic words anymore, the yoshi kept walking along until he reached a large apple tree.

Not daring to question why apples –and enormous ones, at that– were growing in a place as tropical as Yoshi's Island, Arcai began pulling them down with his tongue and feasting on them. While eating, he laughed at a shy guy who was desperately trying to climb up the tree to reach a particularly ripe apple, but failed to make it more than a foot up with his small, stubby hands. Arcai decided to rub it in and reached up with his tongue to grab the apple the shy guy was eying. He then held it in his hands and raised it to his open mouth.

"My apple!" the shy guy exclaimed. "Can I please have it? I've been trying to reach it forever!"

Arcai lowered the apple and made the shy guy an offer, "I'll give you the apple if you show me you can climb the tree within the next minute."

With renewed vigour at the thought of Arcai's 'reward,' the shy guy stepped back and got a running start up the tree. He made it partway up, and managed to find a small hole to put his foot into. With a little more effort, he made it up to where the juicy apple just was.

"I made it! Now gimme that apple, you stupid yoshi!" the shy guy demanded.

"Come and get it!" Arcai said, ignoring the shy guy's insult.

The shy guy was about to start climbing down again when he realized how high up he was and chickened out. He couldn't find it within himself to descend down the side of the tree, and sat on top again, scared and disappointed.

"Get me down from here!" he cried.

"You wish, wimp," Arcai said in a satisfied tone. Deliberately wishing to anger the shy guy, he lifted the apple up again on his tongue and dangled it just out of reach. The shy guy made several fruitless attempts to grab it, and Arcai retracted his tongue again.

"Sucker," he said as he took a great bite out of the sweet fruit, leaving the poor shy guy stuck in the tree, only able to fantasize about its marvellous taste.

After his meal, Arcai resumed his trek. He soon reached the ruins of one of Kamek's countless castles from a century long past, when he went against the prophecy that the Mario Bros. would be the Koopa Kingdom's undoing, and tried to kidnap them, only to have his plans thwarted by a ragtag band of yoshis. Part of the main tower was still intact, but most of the site was littered with lone foundations and piles of misshapen bricks. It was hard to believe that this once was a base of operations for Kamek's, and later, Bowser's forces, but then again, it was one of the smaller castles. Sirius, if Arcai remembered his historical figures correctly, was the yoshi that was assigned to infiltrate these smaller castles.

A lake was waiting for him on the other side of the ruins. Thirsty and a little unclean, Arcai dropped his backpack on the small beach and ran into the refreshingly cold water. He bent down and drank his fill to quench his day-long thirst before going for a short swim around the lake's perimeter. The lake was inhabited by several different species of fish, but they were all small and harmless, not the yoshi-eating monstrosities found elsewhere on the island.

Refreshed, Arcai headed back to where he left his backpack only to find a small monkey busily searching through it. The mischievous creature had taken a particular interest in Arcai's wallet and was examining it closely. Curious, it reached into it and pulled out a shiny yellow coin. The yoshi, seeing that his money was in danger of getting stolen, quietly tried to sneak up on the monkey, but being relatively inexperienced with that, he fudged it and tripped over his own foot. The noise alerted the monkey, which looked around and found Arcai behind itself. Knowing the dangers yoshis posed to the monkey population, it screeched and bounded off into the forest. Luckily, it dropped the wallet before it disappeared into the trees. Arcai picked it up and returned it to a pocket in his backpack. He then shouldered it and continued his trip.

•••

The sun had set, and the sky was darkening. It was getting harder to see by the minute, and Arcai looked for a place to turn in for the night. He found a serene pond in a clearing with ample area to sleep. The yoshi took his backpack off and pulled his sleeping bag out before hanging the former on a nearby tree. By now, the moon was already well on its way towards the top of the sky, and Arcai laid out his sleeping bag in its eerie white light. Snuggling into its warm interior, Arcai slowly drifted off into a restless sleep plagued by odd dreams…

•••

Only the bare, rugged walls of the cave were to be seen. There was no plausible way in, and no tangible way out. Minutes went by like this, until a small serving of food suddenly materialized. It was nothing particularly special or interesting; just a bland arrangement of some small fruits and a thin piece of raw meat. The yoshi, not caring for what little taste it had, quickly swallowed the ration and sat down again. Some time later, the yoshi's body began to tremble. A fierce concentration of willpower filled the dinosaur's mind, and a gathering of pure energy could be felt. The walls of the cave were pulsing, and soon melted away in a kaleidoscopic blur. The refreshing sight of the Yoshi's Island shoreline came into view, through eyes that were not the yoshi's own.

The tropical view was peaceful to look at, but peace was the last thing the yoshi had on its mind. It stood up and slowly began to walk to the nearby village, an innocent look on its face…

* * *

_3__rd__ Moon 7, 200 AAW__,_

_Trying to live off the forest isn't what I'm used to. If it wasn't for the abundance of wild fruit, I would probably have starved by now. But at least the shy guys provide some distraction! Hmm…if I still remember our history classes from Xenos, I'm doing what Cameo and the gang did almost two hundred years ago! They loved screwing around with shy guys and bandits!_

_Oh man…Xenos. I miss that place. I hope they'll re-accept me when I'm back from this journey…if I ever come back from this journey…_

_Last night, I had another one of those weird, unusually realistic dreams. This time, I felt like I was in someone else's body, watching what they did, from their point of view. I have the strangest feeling that these are no ordinary dreams. I don't usually believe in that stuff, but could it mean anything?_

_Could it possibly be a clue to finding Linekki?_

•••

It was clear that the search for Linekki was going to be a long one. Arcai was doing all right for the time being, but every step into the forest was a step further from home, civilization, and his education. Arcai was especially saddened about the loss of the latter, as university was his favourite place to be in the world. He always enjoyed learning new things, and getting this taken away from him was like losing a loved one. But he pressed on diligently, knowing that if he didn't, he could quite possibly lose his mother, the only family he had left. He couldn't quite explain how this could happen, but he knew that her life depended on his finding Linekki.

He had no idea where he was going; he was just hoping to come across something or someone that would help him out with his search. Luckily, he soon came upon a green yoshi that was busily gathering fruit in a large wagon. Amazed at his luck, he hastened his pace and ran up to him. The other yoshi turned around upon hearing Arcai's quick footsteps, and dropped the melon he was holding on his foot. Wincing from the pain, but not wanting to appear weak to a stranger, he greeted,

"Hello there! What brings a young yoshi like you to this place?"

Arcai, panting a bit, stopped and caught his breath before answering,

"Ugh…to cut a long story short, I'm looking for someone, and I err…got a little lost in the forest. Where am I?"

The green yoshi picked up the dropped melon and continued to load the wagon while he replied,

"You're in Demono, the not-so-famous farming village!" The yoshi then gestured towards the nearly-full wagon, "You look hungry; you can have as many of these fruits here as you want."

Something about the village's name rang a bell in Arcai's mind, but the green yoshi was right: Arcai was, indeed, ravenous, and he started scarfing down the humongous apples, bananas, melons, and other fruits, two or even three at a time. The other yoshi stared, impressed by Arcai's appetite. He knew that yoshis were unique among other species in that they were capable of consuming ridiculous amounts of food with no ill aftereffects, but it was customary in their society to stop eating after one wasn't hungry anymore, for the sake of conserving resources. Arcai kept on, fruit after oversized fruit disappearing into his gaping mouth, until the wagon was bare.

_Those were supposed to be for my family_, the green yoshi thought to himself, but it was also customary for yoshis to be welcoming to and care for strangers and visitors, and he was sure he still had enough time to gather more. Arcai stuck out his tongue once again, only to taste the cold, wooden planks of the now-empty wagon. He realized that he had just eaten over thirty fruits in under a minute and blushed a little at the thought that he accepted this much food from a stranger.

"I'm sorry," he said, embarrassed. "I've just been traveling for a few days, and well…hiking works up quite the appetite."

"Don't worry about it . I can always get more," the green yoshi reassured." By the way, the name's Magano."

"I'm Arcai, from Sophivira," Arcai returned the exchange. "Pleasure to meet you, Magano."

"The pleasure's mine, Arcai," Magano said politely. "Sophivira, eh? That's quite far from here. Wait; you're not telling me you…"

"Yeah, I walked."

"Oh boy," Magano said. "No wonder you om-nom-nommed those fruits like that! Come on; I'll take you to my house and leave you with my mate and our son."

The green yoshi left the wagon in the clearing, intending to return after taking Arcai to the village to load it up with fruit once more, and led the way down a path. Arcai followed him around several bends and past a small pond before finally emerging out into the centre of a bustling village. Yoshis were running around, running their daily errands like gathering fruit and tending to their gardens. A few were napping on their lawns, and a group of children was playing Lakanui in a field between two houses.

"Come on; keep up with me, Arcai," Magano said, noticing that Arcai had stopped walking to look around. The green yoshi strolled up to one of the houses and knocked on the door. Quick footsteps were suddenly heard, and a familiar pink yoshi opened the door. Arcai's eyes widened in surprise,

"Disci?"

* * *

**Personality Checkup:** Arcai: I've already featured him before, but looking back at the prologue, I realized just how short his first checkup was! This time, I'll take a moment to talk about his skin colour, and how it ties in with his personality.

Arcai, as you know, is a yoshi of the darker blue variety. True; I did choose this colour for him partly because it's actually my favourite colour, but moreover, his personality and character reflects it, and by extension, my own. Of the many traits blue stands for, intelligence is one of Arcai's more prominent ones. He does well in school, and is enrolled at the best university in the yoshian world. However, as academically oriented as he is, another "blue" trait overpowered his desire to learn. A quote from a website about colours (thanks starrgrl24!) sums it up rather well:

"Dark blue can be compassionate but has trouble showing it as its emotions run deep."

Arcai's emotions run deep indeed, and the scene in the last chapter may have come across surprisingly cold and authoritative. But don't be fooled; Arcai truly cares about his mother's well-being, and knows that the two of them are all that's left of their family, not counting Linekki. This feeling of isolation, the "we're all we've got" feeling, is the primary motivation behind Arcai's search for his mysterious father. Ironically, his stubborn decision to do this highlights the authoritative trait of dark blue while simultaneously denying the colour's proactive, analytical side.


	6. A familiar face

**••• Chapter 5 •••**

**••• A familiar face ****•**••

Disci's eyes widened, "Arcai, it's you!"

Arcai ran towards Disci and gave him a big, friendly hug.

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you, Disci!" he sputtered out breathlessly, heartily patting the pink yoshi on the back.

"Whoa, slow down, man! Let's go inside first; we'll talk there," Disci said.

Magano ushered the two yoshis inside and closed the door behind them. Another yoshi, this one red, strolled out of the kitchen and met them.

"Hello sweetie," she said, giving Magano a light peck on the cheek. She then turned to Arcai, "And who might you be, blue one?"

Magano returned the kiss and Arcai answered, "I'm Arcai. Disci and I met at Xenos."

"He's quite a modest one, you know? Arcai hiked here all the way over from Sophivira!" Magano added.

"Oh, is that so?" Magano's mate replied. "Well, Arcai, you've come to the right place. My name's Bankia. A friend of Disci's a friend of ours, so please, make yourself at home." She then turned back to Magano, "Did you get those fruits I needed for my pie?"

"About that…Arcai showed up, and I offered him some of my fruit," he started, Arcai blushing upon the mention of his name, "and before I knew it, they were all gone."

"Awww; I'm glad you helped him out, but that doesn't change the fact that I don't have any fruit to make a pie with," Bankia said. "I want us to have dinner in two hours. You have 'til then to get some more fruits, or we're not having pie."

"N-no pie?" Disci said worriedly. "Dad, Arcai needs to try Mom's amazing pie. You better get that fruit!"

"All right, fine. I want pie, too," Magano grumbled as he made his way towards the door. "I'll be back!"

Bankia then turned to Disci, "Disci, why don't you show Arcai around Demono and the house? He might be staying here for a while."

"Will do, Mom," Disci answered. "Come on, Arc! I'll show you my room first."

Bankia turned around and went back to her work in the kitchen. Disci then walked across the living room and down a hallway, Arcai following closely.

The pink yoshi opened a door, revealing a spacious room with dark green walls and a light tan wall-to-wall carpet. A modern light fixture hung from the white ceiling, and a twin-size bed was against one wall, a cluttered night table beside it; above the bed hung a sizeable painting of Disci's family. A wide desk stood under the large window, proudly covered with all mannerisms of things: an empty bottle of water; an unwieldy mess of papers, the contents of which ranged from sketches to writings to random scribbles; a bundle of bananas; a desk light; and pens and pencils of various colours carelessly sprinkled over it all. The forest was visible through the open window, which was wide enough for Arcai to easily escape through, had it been possible to get on top of the messy desk.

"Welcome to my room, Arc," Disci proclaimed with pride. Arcai's jaw dropped; he had heard of messy rooms, but had never seen anything like this. An organized yoshi himself, he was shocked to see his best friend's lair looking like this.

Disci noticed Arcai's stance and jokingly asked, "Are you just gonna stand there all day?"

Arcai shook his head, mesmerized by the unsightly mess. "Let's keep going," he said, following his friend back out into the hallway.

Disci gestured towards the next door. "This is my parents' bedroom. They don't like people going in there, so I'm afraid it's off-limits to you. Not that there's much to see, anyway; there's just a bed and a bunch of boxes."

The next room was the guest bedroom. Disci opened the door, revealing a colourful, albeit generic room. The bare walls were a deep, relaxing purple and the carpet was a pleasing shade of dark red. Like in Disci's room, there was a desk against the window and a bed across from it. Unlike Disci's room, though, there was no clutter – it was clear that this room was seldom used in the household.

"You'll be staying here, Arc," he said. "We have a guest bedroom just in case, and it looks like someone's finally gonna use it. You can leave your stuff here; I'm gonna show you around Demono next."

Arcai, relieved that his own room was nice and clean, dropped his backpack on the floor and followed Disci out again.

"Oh yeah, and the bathroom's right there, if you ever need it," Disci said, pointing towards the last door.

The two yoshis returned to the living room.

"Yeah, you already saw this place. This is where we hang out, eat, and relax." A sizzling sound was heard as a tantalizing smell wafted its way into the room, "And that would be Mom cooking in the kitchen. There isn't much to see there, either; just your standard kitchen, but boy, does she know how to use it!" Disci exclaimed excitedly.

"I can tell," Arcai replied, deeply inhaling the enchanting aroma. "Do I smell…roast fish?"

"Mm-hm. Roast fish and fruit pie…yum, I get excited just thinking about it!"

Disci then took Arcai outside to show him around the village. He began by showing him the area immediately before his house, a tiled stone plaza with a quaint little fountain in the middle. Ten or so houses, most of them a bit smaller than Disci's, lay in a ring around the plaza with reasonable spaces in between. Several yoshis were out – a couple were chatting near the fountain, one was sunning herself on a lawn, and a few were just milling about. Demono looked like a small, friendly village. Not necessarily one with much to see or do, but one that felt cosy and welcoming no less.

•••

**Author's note:** An awful lot has happened to me since I first started writing this story. When I began, I was a relatively new member of the Yoshi fandom trying to find some footing in it. Trying to keep my fan love for Yoshi a secret from everyone I knew. I led a secret life of sorts back then, and basing my story on a pre-existing one helped to establish a sense of familiarity for me in what was otherwise a whole new world for me.

Since then, my ability to write has improved tremendously, which has landed me the title of editor at a major Nintendo 3DS fan site. Even though I've written no fan fiction save for a single introductory chapter for Sorrow of the Koopa King since I started writing for 3DS Buzz, I've spent a lot of time carefully thinking up a new fan fiction that is much better-suited to all the characters I've created.

It's entirely original - well, as original as fan fiction can legally be - and has a far better and more captivating storyline behind it. You'll get to see Arcai in his true element, Disci will play a far more important role than simply being his tagalong friend...and the two will meet some truly surprising new friends. The overarching plot is a much more complex and far-reaching affair, and the fic is much grander in scale overall.

As of now, The Legend of Arcai: Initiation is officially canceled, but I won't remove it from here - at least not from the time being. It's because I've been hit with inspiration for an infinitely better story that I decided it wasn't worth it to continue this one anymore. The new story will be a complete rewrite, featuring the same characters but in an all-new plot. It's currently untitled, but there's a good chance it'll simply be called "The Legend of Arcai," with no gimmicky monicker attachd to it. I cannot say when you can expect to see the first glimpse of it, as my free time is incredibly limited these days, but I guarantee you'll enjoy it very much once you do.

Until then,

~Feld0


End file.
